Chase and American Express are two of the most popular credit card issuers in the United States, and for good reason. Both offer a variety of cards with excellent rewards programs, making them a great choice for travelers and those who want to earn points for cash back or other rewards.

However, these two rewards programs have no shared point earning—if you earn points in one system, they cannot be transferred to the other! This leaves many individuals with cards from both American Express and Chase stuck trying to prioritize one card or the other and often end up missing out on a lot of great travel redemptions. Many people actually have enough points across their accounts to go on luxurious vacations, but can’t book anything as their points are split between the two systems!

However, there is actually a way that you can use both your earned Chase points and American Express points for the same travel reward. While you can’t combine the points in the bank portals themselves, you can combine them in the next best thing:

Shared Transfer Partners

Chase and AmEx have several different transfer partners that are shared between the two banks’ rewards programs. This means that you can transfer your points from both of the two card issuers to these partner airlines and hotels to get even more value.

For those who are unfamiliar with transfer partners, one of the ways you can use your points from most credit cards is to “transfer them to a travel partner.” When you transfer your points to a partner, you move these points from your credit card account with the bank (e.g., Chase, American Express) to the airline’s miles or hotel’s points.

Once the points are moved, you can use them to book flights, hotels, and other travel expenses (depending on the partner) directly with the travel provider. You can also use these points to upgrade your seat, your room, or book experiences like tours and activities. Since these points/miles typically transfer at a 1:1 ratio with Chase/AmEx points, you aren’t losing any value when you make the transfer!

The value of your points will (of course) vary depending on the partner you choose and the redemption option you select. However, you can actually get more value for your points by transferring them to a partner than by redeeming them directly through the rewards program, and you don’t have to worry about booking any travel through a third party like the Bank!

Now that the basics are out of the way, let’s break down the best transfer partners that are shared between Chase and American Express:

For Domestic Trips: JetBlue TrueBlue

One of the best-shared transfer partners between Chase and American Express for flying domestically is JetBlue. Not only is JetBlue one of the better-performing airlines in America, but they also cover thousands of different destinations across the domestic United States and the Caribbean! JetBlue also typically give a good return on the points you use with them (minimum 1 cent per point, and often more), and often gives very high redemption value for their first-class travel, JetBlue Mint. The hardest part of getting good value out of JetBlue is that the airline tends to operate heavily out of its hubs (e.g., Boston), and doesn’t cover as many areas across the country as a bigger airline like United. To see if JetBlue operates near you (and flies where you’re hoping to go), check the route map below.

As well, if you’re hoping to get more than just flights out of your points, JetBlue has a unique platform to use points on JetBlue Vacations. Not only can you book just flights from JetBlue with your Amex and Chase points, but you can also add hotels and cruises as a package deal (i.e., flights + hotel stay). This means that if you have a lot of AmEx and Chase points saved up, you can book your entire vacation through the JetBlue platform and have all your travel together in one place. However, it’s important to note that booking through the JetBlue Vacations program will most likely devalue your points compared to just booking flights (from ~1 to 1.2 cents per point down to a max of .75 cents per point). However, the trade-off of this is that it’s a super simple way to combine your points from the two banks to book an ENTIRE holiday trip, rather than just flights alone

Overall, JetBlue is the clear winner of the shared transfer partners for all domestic trips.

For Travel to Europe: Air France KLM Flying Blue

If your goal is to get from the US to Europe, one of the best options you can pursue is to transfer your points to Air France/KLM’s loyalty program “Flying Blue”. Air France and KLM fly to dozens of different popular destinations across Europe, including Paris, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, and more! As well, Air France and KLM are part of the Skyteam Alliance, which consists of the following Europe-focused airlines:

Air Europa, Air France, Czech Airlines, Delta Airlines, ITA Airways, KLM, and Virgin Atlantic

As you can see, no matter where you want to go in Europe, you’re going to be able to get there on at least one of these airlines. And since both Air France/KLM’s Flying Blue program is a shared transfer partner between both American Express and Chase, you can use both systems to book an incredible transatlantic or European trip!

To top it off, American Express is currently (as of 5/23/23) giving a 25% bonus on all miles transferred to Flying Blue! This means that the points you transfer now from AmEx are likely to get you a minimum of 1.25 cents per point. For reference, right now you can fly direct from Boston to Amsterdam direct for only 9k AmEx points! That is an unbelievable redemption value that will likely not last very long, so make sure to get your trips to Europe booked soon.

If you want to travel to Europe with both Chase and American Express points, FlyingBlue will most likely be your best option!

Pro-tip: Since FlyingBlue (Air France/KLM) and Virgin Atlantic are both shared as point transfer partners between Chase and AmEx and are under the same alliance, it’s always worth looking at the flight prices (in points) for both airlines to see which airline will get you more value for your points!

For Worldwide International Travel: Air Canada Aeroplan

Air Canada is another excellent option among the shared transfer partners. Firstly, Air Canada is THE option for anyone traveling to or from Canada, with more coverage of Canada than any other airline out there on the market. However, the value of transferring your points to Air Canada lies largely in that it is part of the air network Star Alliance, which consists of:

Air Canada, Air Serbia, airBaltic, Brussels Airlines, Bulgaria Air, EgyptAir, Ethiopian Airlines, Etihad Airways, Gulf Air, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Olympic Air, Scandinavian Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Swiss International Air Lines, TAP Portugal, TAROM, and Turkish Airlines.

As you can see, no matter where you want to go in the world—be it Europe, Asia, or Africa, there is likely a member of the Star Alliance that will be able to get you there for good value. Unlike the Sky Team Alliance which often gives good value for only flights to Europe, the Star Alliance tends to be effective and easy to book no matter where you’re going! All you have to do is transfer your points to Air Canada, search for the international travel routes you want, and book the flight on an alliance partner through Air Canada using your points. You’ll normally be able to consistently get a 1:1 return on your points, making this an ideal way to combine your American Express and Chase points for booking international travel.

Pro-tip: One particular airline on this list, Singapore Airlines, is also a shared transfer partner between AmEx and Chase, so it is always worth checking both Singapore Airlines and Air Canada to compare point prices before transferring to get the best deal on your travel!

Summary

If you're looking to get the most out of your Chase and AmEx points, transferring them to a shared partner is a by far the best option. By taking the time to compare different options and exploring the different partners, you can find the perfect way to use your points for your next trip. If you’re not sure where to start, we’ve compiled a list of all 7 airlines that are shared transfer airline partners between American Express points and Chase Ultimate Rewards below. If you’re starting to plan a trip and want a guide to which airlines allow you to combine your Chase and AmEx points, this will hopefully be a good starting point!

If you’re in need of a credit card for international travel, make sure to check out our guide for credit cards with no annual fees! Or, if you’re a beginner, make sure you know the essential 8 tips to get off to a flying start with credit cards and points. We hope this article was helpful for your point and travel needs!